The Lasting Impact of Felony Disenfranchisement

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By Alexis McKenney

In 1868, only three years after the end of the Civil War, Florida amended its state constitution to permanently ban people with prior felony convictions from voting, even after they completed their sentences. This law was part of a larger trend of violent backlash in former slave states that aimed to limit the political power of newly freed Black communities through criminalization and disenfranchisement. Today, Florida is one of four states that still denies voting rights to Returning Citizens, or formerly incarcerated people.

In addition to the usual barriers that come with transitioning back into public life (such as finding a job and reconciling with loved ones), Democracy Disenfranchised also details how Returning Citizens are coming back to communities that are under-resourced and suffer from low incomes, high unemployment rates, and schools that fail Black and Brown students. This isn’t a coincidence or a mistake, but rather a crucial aspect of the cycle of poverty and criminalization of Black communities in Florida and throughout the country.

Democracy Disenfranchised takes an in-depth analysis of the 10 counties where Black Returning Citizens are located, and makes recommendations on how to dismantle the negative effects of mass incarceration and disenfranchisement in Florida. Among the seven recommendations made by Advancement Project, is a call to end felony disenfranchisement in Florida. This particular recommendation is extremely timely as one of the major statewide ballot initiatives in Florida would automatically restore voting rights to Returning Citizens which presents an impactful opportunity for the Florida communities affected by felony disenfranchisement.

Explore the report and check out our Interactive Map to see how Florida communities are affected by felony disenfranchisement. You can also connect with us on these issues on social media using #DemocracyDisappeared.

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Washington, DC — Today, the NAACP and Advancement Project national office joined with the African American Research Collaborative to provide the first comprehensive analysis of how Black voters voted this cycle and why. The new poll of mid-term voters, conducted by the African American Research Collaborative (in collaboration with Latino Decisions and Asian American Decisions), examines African American voters across various competitive elections to determine how this electorate engaged in 2018 and how these findings might shape the future of elections. The key takeaway of this poll is clear: mid-term 2018 wins across the country were dependent on voters of…

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In an historic mid-term election, Florida residents voted in favor of state constitutional Amendment 4, which will automatically restore voting rights to 1.4 million people with felony convictions on their record. The ballot initiative received support from at least 60 percent of Florida voters – the needed amount to amend the state’s constitution. Advancement Project’s national office has been heavily engaged in dismantling disenfranchising policies alongside partners, New Florida Majority, SEIU, and Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC). “This is an historic moment for Florida and our country. Florida voters have spoken and extended the right to vote to citizens…

This non-partisan effort in Missouri, organized by Advancement Project’s national office, a leading voter protection organization, is part of the nation’s largest Election Protection program, designed to assist any voters with questions or issues on Election Day.